Year After Year
by padfoot's prose
Summary: Every year, Petunia accompanies her family to Kings Cross to say goodbye to Lily. And she watches, year after year, as Lily slowly falls in love with James Potter. Written for The Start and Stop Challenge on HPFC L/J


**For my _5 Couples, 5 Days Challenge_ and for _The Start and Stop Challenge_, both on HPFC**

**Day #5: James/Lily**

* * *

><p><span>1<span>st Year

"I'll be _bored_!" Petunia whined, her bottom lip protruding stubbornly as she sat in the car, seatbelt still on, watching her parents help Lily unload her trunk from the boot.

"Then come with us," the girls' mother suggested, meeting her daughter's eyes in the rear-view mirror. "I'm sure Lily would love for you to see her off."

Petunia looked down at the floor as Lily's wide green eyes appeared in the window beside her, staring beseechingly. She resisted looking up at the sound of the door opening, keeping her arms crossed angrily.

"I'll miss you, Tuney," Lily whispered. "Write me?"

2nd Year

Petunia flounced along the platform, her nose in the air, her eyes looking anywhere but at the three people ahead of her.

Her parents each held one of Lily's hands, her father gripping her large Hogwarts trunk in the other. Petunia could see his arm straining from lifting the heavy load, but he was so reluctant to let go of Lily that he ignored the pain, entirely caught up in smiling at his daughter.

His _favourite_ daughter.

Knowing she had a choice – either to cry and admit that it hurt or to learn to ignore the pain – Petunia flounced onwards.

3rd Year

Petunia hated to admit it, but the boy was cute. He had dark hair and a wicked smile that he threw like a grenade at every other girl who walked past. To add to the appeal, he too was standing away from his family as his parents cooed over his younger brother, already dressed in those stupid black robes.

Petunia smiled when his eyes turned her way, her heart pounding as he grinned wider than ever.

"Lily!" he called, pushing away from his family, brushing past Petunia and stopping by her sister's side. "James has been looking everywhere for you!"

4th Year

"Alice!" Lily ran ahead, throwing her arms around the neck of a brown-haired girl, standing on the busy Platform.

The other girl squealed in surprise, turning around to hug Lily back before pulling away and grinning at her friend.

"You've gotten taller!" Alice said in an accusatory tone, making Lily blush and laugh.

"Oh, I have to introduce you-" Lily tugged her friend back to her family. "This is my Mum and my Dad and-" Lily broke off, her eyes sliding guiltily to Petunia, skulking in her father's shadow by the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten.

"-and that's everyone."

5th Year

The wicked-smile boy was there again, laughing like a jackal at a shiny little badge pinned to his friend's robes.

"James!" The laughing boy yelled, making every head on the platform turn to look. "You'll never believe what Moony got!"

Petunia watched as, beside her, Lily looked away from their parents' tearful goodbyes, eyes searching until the sound of pounding footsteps rung through the air and a bespectacled boy with unruly black hair ran past, shooting her a grin.

"Hi, Lily!" he shouted, before turning to the pair of boys. "_Prefect_! Well, Padfoot, we better be scared of Moony now!"

6th Year

Everyone could tell Lily was distracted as she hurried along the platform, biting her lip and standing on her toes to look around as she paused to wait for her family to catch up.

"Who are you looking for, honey?" her mother asked, but Lily was silent, faking a smile and laughing it off.

Petunia wasn't fooled.

And, even though she hated Lily, even though she couldn't wait to leave home next July, she couldn't help smiling at the way Lily's face lit up when _he_ brushed past, whispering, "Nice summer?" and grinning as she shot back, "Like you'd care!"

7th Year

For the first time in seven years, Petunia was free. She had no obligation to tag along behind clingy parents and a stupid, perfect little sister. She had no reason to leave behind her one bedroom flat and brand spanking new boyfriend.

And yet, here she was.

The crowd hid her as she watched her sister bid goodbye to their parents. As they walked away, Petunia saw the bespectacled boy appear by Lily's side, his hand already settling around her waist.

"I missed you," he said, the words clear from a distance.

"Me too. Life's kind of boring without you."


End file.
